On Campus

Florida Tech to Host Workshop on Role of Optics in Space

Two-Day Gathering May 16-17 Features Faculty Panelists

MELBOURNE,
FLA. — Florida Tech will welcome scientists and guests from around the world as
the university hosts The Optical Society’s “Workshop on Role of Optics in Space
and Space-based Astronomy” May 16-17 at the Center for Aeronautics and
Innovation.

Florida
Tech Senior Vice President for Research and Optical Society Fellow Gisele
Bennett is workshop host and co-chair of the organizing committee. Randy Giles,
chief scientist for the International Space Station, is also workshop co-chair.
Panel leads will include Daniel Batcheldor, head of the Florida Tech Department
of Aerospace, Physics and Space Sciences; Andrew Lambert, UNS Canberra
Australia; Daniel LeMaster, AFRL/RYMT; James Nagel, Harris Corporation; and
Martin Richardson, University of Central Florida. The organizing committee also
includes representatives from Lockheed Martin, NRL and DARPA.

Batcheldor and other Florida Tech faculty will be involved in several presentations and panel discussions at the workshop: Shuttle astronaut Sam Durrance will be a panelist in “Science Experiments in Space,” organized by Batcheldor; Andy Aldrin will speak on the panel, “Industry, Academia and Government;” and Ilya Mingareev will be a panelist in the session, “Manufacturing and Reliability Requirements for Optical Components for Space Environments.”

Speakers and panelists are attending from Australia, Canada, Germany, Norway, Singapore and Japan.

Topics explored at the workshop will include how optics are supporting the resurgence in the exploration of our solar system and beyond; the role of optics and smaller optical systems on microsatellites and probes; and the use of optics in laboratories and factories in space.

“Space presents limitless possibilities for exploration, scientific inquiry, and commercial enterprise that push the boundaries of optical technology,” OSA says in its workshop announcement. “This workshop examines emerging trends in the use of space, the consequences of growing interest from new-to-space users, and the resultant opportunities for the optical community.”